FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.58.45

ఏవం సమయమాకర్ణ్య బద్ధ్వా పరికరం ప్రభు: । ఆత్మానం సప్తధా కృత్వా న్యగృహ్ణాల్ల‍ీలయైవ తాన్ ॥ ౪౫ ॥
evaṁ samayam ākarṇya
[evam samayam aakarnya]
baddhvā parikaraṁ prabhuḥ
[baddhvaa parikaram prabhuh]
ātmānaṁ saptadhā kṛtvā
[aatmaanam saptadhaa kritvaa]
nyagṛhṇāl līlayaiva tān
[nyagrihnaal leelayaiva taan]
evam — thus samayam — the condition ākarṇya — hearing baddhvā — tightening parikaram — His clothing prabhuḥ — the Lord ātmānam — Himself saptadhā — as seven kṛtvā — making nyagṛhṇāt — He subdued līlayā — like play eva — simply tān — them .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
evaṁ samayam ākarṇya
evam
thus
samayam
the condition
ākarṇya
hearing
baddhvā parikaraṁ prabhuḥ
baddhvā
tightening
parikaram
His clothing
prabhuḥ
the Lord
ātmānaṁ saptadhā kṛtvā
ātmānam
Himself
saptadhā
as seven
kṛtvā
making
nyagṛhṇāl līlayaiva tān
nyagṛhṇāt
He subdued
līlayā
like play
eva
simply
tān
them .
  • baddhvā - parikaram — tightening His clothing
    Verb-phrase: girding up. A homely, athletic gesture. Gauḍīya: Bhagavān prepares for the contest as a kṣatriya would — line by line. The līlā is in the details.
  • saptadhā — into seven (parts)
    Adverbial from sapta (seven) + dhā (manner). Sevenfold. Gauḍīya: Bhagavān's bahudhā (manifold) capability is exercised in exactly the number required. Plenitude is precise, not vague.
  • nyagṛhṇāt — He subdued
    Imperfect of ni + √grah — to take down, restrain. The same verbal field as nigṛhīta (verse 44 — subdued). Gauḍīya: each bull is grasped, individually, by His matching form. Bhagavān does not herd; He addresses each.
  • līlayā — easily (playfully)
    Instrumental of līlā — by sport. The whole feat is līlā — effortless, joyful. Gauḍīya: this is the foundational adverb of Bhāgavata theology; everything Bhagavān does, He does līlayā, never śrameṇa (with toil).
Upon hearing these terms, the Lord tightened His clothing, expanded Himself into seven forms and easily subdued the bulls.

According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, Lord Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself into seven forms not only to playfully defeat the seven bulls but also to show Princess Satya that she would not have to compete with His other queens, since He could enjoy with all of them simultaneously.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Upon hearing these terms, the Lord tightened His clothing, expanded Himself into seven forms and easily subdued the bulls.
Commentary

In expanding himself into seven forms Krsna was showing Satya that he could enjoy with many women without any loss for her.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

After hearing this rule the Lord bound his clothing. It should be understood that he smiled. He bound his clothing tightly, showing he was fully capable (prabhuḥ) or being capable because of previous practice as a cowherd. Expanding his form into seven, he easily subdued the bulls. The word eva can also indicate that it only appeared that he had seven forms, since he moved so quickly.

Related values
Shraddha (Faith / Reverence)Titiksha (Forbearance / Endurance)Mardava (Gentleness)Tejas (Inner Radiance / Vigour)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Dhairya (Composure / Courage)Saurya (Heroism / Bravery)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Vinaya (Humility / Modesty)Kartavya (Duty / Responsibility)Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Sthitaprajna (Steady Wisdom)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
Concepts
AtmaJivaSatya

When seven bulls bar one door, Bhagavān does not seek a second door — He becomes seven. Multiplication is not a clever trick; it is the visible form of Kṛṣṇa's plenitude meeting plurality at exactly its own count.

Multiplication during rāsa

In SB 10.33, when the gopīs began to think themselves uniquely close to Kṛṣṇa, He multiplied — placing one Kṛṣṇa with each gopī, so that every dancer had her own partner. The Bhāgavatam treats this as Bhagavān's plenipotent answer to plurality.

Gauḍīyas read the seven-Kṛṣṇa subduing of the seven bulls as a kṣatriya-mode echo of that mādhurya-mode multiplication. The same Lord, in a different rasa, answers the same numerical problem with the same solution.

📝 My note

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